Managing Your Septic Tank to Minimize Trouble

It doesn't matter if you live in Aldie, VA, Front Royal, VA, Berryville or Strasburg, VA. Septic systems can be a royal pain, but if you have a plan for getting it cleaned, and keep your eyes out for signs of a septic issue, you can manage a tank with little trouble.

Know the Last Cleaning Date

If you have owned your home for a while, you likely know when your tank was cleaned or pumped out last.

If you are new to the home, you may have been given information regarding the septic systems last overhaul, or you may not. Without any knowledge of the cleaning schedule from years past, you will have to keep your eyes out for signs of trouble.

Scheduling a Septic Cleaning

The time required in between tank cleanings depends on several factors. You need to keep in mind how large your tank is, how many people are in your home, and how you dispose of food waste.

If you have a garbage disposal and send food into the sink, you need to be aware that the food also goes into the septic tank and will fill it up much faster than disposing of food into the garbage.

The size of your tank is a very important thing to know. Large families will generate more waste than smaller ones. If you have 3 people in your home, you will clean your tank less frequently than a family of 6 if the tanks are similarly sized. Even small families will have to pump their tanks more often if the tank is small.

Tips for Staying Ready

If you don't have a file for your septic cleanings, start one. Each time the tank is pumped, save the receipt. Jot down some notes on it regarding how many people were living in the home prior to the cleaning, how full the tank actually was, and any other information you may need to note about the water and waste habits of the household.

Print out a chart available online for septic cleaning schedules. Keep it with the receipts. Compare your past receipts with the chart and see how your tank holds up to the guidelines. You may find that your family uses less water and waste than the chart summarizes and you will know that you can wait a bit longer than it says. You may be able to keep track and stay just ahead of the schedule to avoid future trouble.

Have an idea of what it costs to get your tank pumped and try to be prepared in case it catches you off-guard. If coming up with the money is hard to do all at once, consider a septic savings. You can easily put a few bucks into the jar as needed so that when the time comes to keep up with this home maintenance, you can do that without feeling it too badly in the pocketbook.

Responsible Management Entity

SES is one of only three businesses to be licensed as a Responsible Management Entity. Loudoun County Virginia was the first in the Nation to establish requirements for an RME based on EPA recommendations. SES manages several communities required to have an RME.